New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Initiative category

Identify the award category for which this initiative is being submitted
Regaining a sense of belonging

Email user
international.office@min.ksleuven.be

Basic information
Initiative title
Tracknteach

Full initiative Title
Your e-partner for cross-curricular teaching practice analysis

Please provide a short, catchy description of your initiative to be used in communication towards the public.
Today, many education systems foster the development and training of various skills like citizenship, critical thinking, problem solving and social skills. Many policy makers, scientists and teachers however disagree about how to develop and practise these skills. Cross-curricular teaching, in which lesson contents are often intertwined, is one of the ways to do so. Tracknteach wants to facilitate this search by providing proper analysis and insight in the structure of teaching activities.

What was the geographical scope of your intiative?
Cross-border/international

Where was your intiative implemented?
Location 1
Belgium

Location 2
Netherlands
Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries
- Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Germany
- Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Finland
- Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Luxembourg
- Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: France
- Member State(s), Western Balkans and other countries: Spain
If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
-

Does your initiative address mainly urban or rural issues?
It addresses urban-rural linkages

Does your initiative refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your initiative benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
Yes

Which fund(s)?
ERASMUS

Here you can provide more details about the name of the specific programme, strand/action line as relevant, and the year
Erasmus+ Cooperation project for the exchange of good practices

Has your initiative won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Does your initiative has a minimum level of maturity? The minimum level of maturity is exemplified by stakeholder/ initiative promoter commitment to implement the initiative in practice and a clear methodology /approach.
Yes

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
If you are submitting this intiative as part of a group, please provide the contact details of the other individuals or organisations
- First name: Dirk
  Last name: Staf
  Gender: Male
  Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: Secondary schools and educational organisations from 9 European countries
  Nationality: Belgium
  Function: International project coordinator
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Diestsestraat 163
  Town: Leuven
  Postal code: 3000
  Country: Belgium
  Direct Tel: +32 486 41 71 19
  E-mail: international.office@min.ksleuven.be
  Website: http://www.futureskills21.eu
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: http://www.tracknteach.eu
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #FutureSkills21
In case my initiative is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my initiative in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites

Description of the initiative
Please provide a summary of your initiative
Quality cross-curricular teaching and assessment is the key to deep learning. That is the Futureskills21 (FS21) motto. This Erasmus+ project resulted in an educational practice analysis tool for 21st-century competences. The participants practised strategies of a new 21st-century skills pedagogy by using innovative teaching methods and formative learning and assessment. We have moved from teacher control towards learner autonomy, from content delivery to making the learning process visible, from content consumption to pupils mastering their competences. Our e-tool is ready for use in the classroom and available on www.tracknteach.eu.

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with 5 key words.
cross-curricular

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
21st-century skills

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
competences

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
deep learning

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
deep teaching

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of sustainability and how these have been/will be met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
In our project used physical, blended, hybrid and digital learning environments actively and creatively, resulting in quality student activities and teacher professionalisation. We used our resources sustainably as we used slow and combined travel as well as digital means of cooperation to reduce our ecological footprint. In total, 3 target groups were directly involved: secondary school learners (200), educators (30) and school management members (10). We had 3 physical meetings, one in Germany, one in Luxembourg and one in Liechtenstein. Only participants who had to cover a distance of 800 km or more (La Réunion, Norway, Finland and Spain) travelled by plane. The other participants travelled by train or shared a car (Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg). In the second year of the project, we organised a 2-week online transnational project meeting, using the Hopin.com software. This way, we brought more than 100 participants together online to do workshops. Investing time and money in the purchase of this professional meeting software is definitely exemplary as well as the deliberate choice for slow travelling.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Our physical, blended, hybrid and digital learning environments have been used creatively, resulting in quality student activities and teacher professionalisation. We designed our websites (www.futureskills21.eu and www.tracknteach.eu) carefully and beautifully as well as our meeting programmes (both as to content and shape).

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Our project guaranteed inclusion, participation and cooperation of gender, ages and participants with fewer opportunities. We used the whole-school approach by involving students, teachers, school management, caretaker and parents actively.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the initiative and civil society have been/will be involved in the initiative and what has been/will be the impact of this involvement on the initiative
The impact is situated in these areas:
- We measured the effect on the target groups (learners, educators, school management, parents): post-project qualitative and quantitative surveys among the target groups revealed positive effects on all stakeholders.
- Inclusion of participants with fewer opportunities was a continuous aim throughout all project activities, resulting in the participation of at least 20% of students with a low SES.
- A spill-over effect on other learners, educators, schools and local communities has been realised, e.g. in the set-up of the spin-off NGO Edushakers, a network of educators and entrepreneurs focusing on formal and informal learning opportunities for youngsters in cooperation with local authorities and SMEs.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the initiative.
Cross-sectoral cooperation was used involving software enterprises, higher education, pedagogical networks, local and regional authorities and decision takers.
Teachers/educators involved in Futureskills21 influence the innovative teaching and learning processes.
- Teachers' agency works as a lever for innovation: thanks to the development of Tracknteach, the leading teachers have strengthened metacognitive approaches and didactic analysis as a driving force for quality teaching.
- Cooperation between teachers and peer learning has become everyday practise at our schools, leading to a larger and stronger network, comprehension of EU priorities and professionalisation opportunities in Erasmus+, e.g. in KA1.
- Teachers’ skills and competences have led to more profound continuous teacher professionalisation in the field of competence evaluation, ICT supported teaching and cross-curricular lesson design.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your initiative. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
The impact is situated in these areas:
- We measured the effect on the target groups (learners, educators, school management, parents): post-project qualitative and quantitative surveys among the target groups revealed positive effects on all stakeholders.
- Inclusion of participants with fewer opportunities was a continuous aim throughout all project activities, resulting in the participation of at least 20% of students with a low SES.
- A spill-over effect on other learners, educators, schools and local communities has been realised, e.g. in the set-up of the spin-off NGO Edushakers, a network of educators and entrepreneurs focusing on formal and informal learning opportunities for youngsters in cooperation with local authorities and SMEs.

Please highlight the innovative character of the initiative, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the initiative
In Futureskills21
- our schools have been enablers for innovation as our findings have been a lever for critical reflection on didactical policies
- our physical, blended, hybrid and digital learning environments have been used creatively, resulting in quality student activities and teacher professionalisation
- resources have been used sustainably as we used slow and combined travel as well as digital means of cooperation to reduce our ecological footprint
- the whole-school approach has been used by involving students, teachers, school management, caretaker and parents
- cross-sectoral cooperation has been used involving software enterprises, higher education, pedagogical networks, local and regional authorities and decision takers

Please describe which elements of your initiative could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
Examples of lessons and projects in our database have been designed for secondary education but can easily be transferred to primary education, VET education, higher education and adult education.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your initiative.
We have used a circular PDCA methodology:
Year 1: plan - do - check - act: design the TnT platform - edit the platform - check usability - input example lessons
Year 2: plan - do - check - act: design adaptations to the TnT platform - adapt changes to the platform - check usability - input new example lessons
Year 3: plan - do - check - act: plan debugging the TnT platform - debug mistakes - check corrections - input new example lessons

Please explain what kind of global challenges the initiative addresses by providing local solutions
Deep teaching leads to deep learning and tools to solve wicked problems.
Among the lessons in our TnT database, we have the best examples of cross-curricular teaching with a focus on key competences. Teaching with a focus on key competences allows students to find creative solutions for wicked problems like sustainability or democratic engagement challenges.

Please detail the scope of progress in the implementation of the initiative. This can include already demonstrated results/outputs related to the chosen Prizes category, and the already achieved benefits from the initiative for direct and indirect beneficiaries. This can also include a development plan of the initiative, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application, and including envisaged results and benefits from the initiative
Our project outcome Tracknteach has now been implemented in 10 schools in 9 countries (BEL, LUX, NED, GER, LIE, FRA, ESP, NOR, FIN).
In november 2022, our project has been awarded with the EITA award: https://innovative-teaching-award.ec.europa.eu/projects/futureskills21_en
For the further development of Tracknteach, we are preparing a new application for a KA2 cooperation partnership to strengthen the cross-curricular content.

Please provide documents that demonstrate the maturity level of the initiative and commitment to implement the initiative in practice (e.g.: evaluation report, final or mid-term initiative report, certification, publications, building permit, grant agreement, letter of support, partnership agreement, etc.)
Web link
Web link
If relevant, please describe how your initiative contributes to developing new competences, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability.
One of the four elements in the toolbox is called skills (competences). One of those skills are 'citizenship skills'. We split them into 'personal development' and 'global sustainability'. In order to define lesson content dealing with wicked problems in terms of 'social development goals', we added a number of SDGs to the characteristics: (7) affordable and clean energy, (8) decent work and economic growth, (9) industry, innovation, industry, (10) reduced inequalities, (11) sustainable cities and communities all reside under 'Prosperity'. Under 'Planet' we chose for SDGs (6) clean water and sanitation, (12) responsible consumption and production, (13) climate action, (14) life below water and (15) life on land. Under category 'People' we disclose (1) no poverty, (2) zero hunger, (3) good health and well-being, (4) quality education and (5) gender equality. Under characteristic 'Peace' we mention (16) peace, justice and strong institutions. The fifth global sustainability characteristic in our toolbox deals with (17) partnerships for goals.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images or visual representations of your initiative to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below.
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By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed initiative has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the initiative and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their initiatives, initiative, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted initiative, initiative is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes